10/04/2025
Morrison Mill: A Legacy of Frugality, Work, and Family
Morrison Mill is more than a business—it is the story of a family. It is about a vow made during the
Great Depression, carried forward by a frugal doctor, built into reality by an entrepreneur, and now
sustained by a new generation. It is about resilience in the face of hardship and the ability to turn
lumber and sweat into opportunity and security.
Charles Denton Caten grew up in the harshest of times: the Great Depression. He knew the sting of
poverty—the humiliation of going to school in worn-out clothes, mocked for having little. Out of that pain
came a vow: “There will never be another poor Caten.” That promise became more than words; it
became a guiding star for every generation that followed.
Charles’s son, Dr. Joseph Caten, lived that vow in a new way. He pursued medicine and raised seven
children while living a life marked by frugality and prudence. Joseph was known as a skilled doctor but
also as a wise investor who valued simplicity. His careful choices created stability and allowed his
children to pursue opportunities that Charles could only dream of. Through medicine and investing,
Joseph demonstrated how frugality and intelligence could create prosperity.
Joseph’s son, Brian Caten, born in 1969, had the same values but a different path. He wasn’t a
doctor—he was an entrepreneur. Brian began building Morrison Mill in the 1990s with almost nothing
but grit and determination. The early years were lean. He worked out of a simple pole barn, patching
equipment together and doing whatever it took to fill orders. The mill’s specialty was sod pallets—48x48
single-sided skids needed by turf farmers across the South. Farmers quickly learned that Morrison Mill
could be counted on to deliver reliable pallets at a fair price.
My earliest memories were not in some suburban neighborhood but in a trailer on the mill property in
downtown Morrison, Tennessee. We lived on-site, surrounded by stacks of lumber and the constant
hum of machinery. I spent my childhood climbing lumber piles, riding with my dad on the tractor, and
exploring every corner of the property. The mill wasn’t just a place of work—it was home.
The Hispanic workers who labored alongside my dad also lived on the property. A small room in the mill
became their quarters. The heart of that crew was Lalo, who worked for my dad for 25 years and later
for me for 3 more. Lalo’s son, Bebé, followed in his footsteps and worked at the mill too. They became
more than employees—they were part of the Morrison Mill family. The mill was a community, bound
together by hard work and loyalty.
The work was grueling in those days until a few machines changed everything. The Morgan Single
Head Resaw was a turning point. Suddenly, the mill could take a cant and cut it into usable pallet stock
with far more efficiency. The Morgan Little Champ Edger became another workhorse. Together, these
two machines simplified the process and pushed Morrison Mill into a new era of production. With each
passing year, advancements were made that made the work easier and more sustainable.
But Morrison Mill was never just about money—it was about survival. When my sister Kelsi was
diagnosed with cancer, the family faced overwhelming medical bills at Vanderbilt. The treatments
seemed endless, and the financial strain could have crushed us. But the mill kept running. The steady
cash flow from pallets is what carried us through. Morrison Mill literally kept our family afloat during one
of the darkest times of our lives. For us, the mill became more than a livelihood—it became a lifeline.
There have been many times when both my father and I thought about walking away. The work is
exhausting. The challenges never stop. Machines break, lumber prices fluctuate, and the market is
unpredictable. But each time, something pulls us back: the vow of Charles, the prudence of Joseph,
and the grit of Brian. To abandon the mill would be to abandon that legacy, and so we keep pressing
forward.
Today, Morrison Mill stands on stronger ground than ever. With new machinery, expanded capacity,
and a clear vision for the future, the business is poised for growth. Yet at its core, it is still the same: a
family business built on hard work, frugality, and resilience. Each pallet that leaves the yard carries not
just turf, but a story—a story of generations who believed in doing hard things.
The Caten family motto is simple: “Catens Can Do Hard Things.” Morrison Mill is proof. From the vow of
a poor boy in the Depression to a thriving family business in Tennessee, it shows that with faith,
frugality, and perseverance, even the hardest beginnings can become a lasting legacy.
